Organic Gardening 101

Yesterday, Jes inspired me to write a post about organic gardening. Today, she provoked me to it. So here's Organic Gardening 101.

Chemicals are bad. Natural is good.

That just about sums it up. Chemicals are bad for you, the soil, nature, your pets, and your water. Natural is good for all the above. So, we've done organic gardening at all three homes, and if I may say so myself, the yard looked great. At least that's what the neighbors have said. Normally it's a gradual improvement, but sometimes it's immediate.



So where do we glean this wealth of information? From Howard Garrett, the Dirt Doctor himself. We've got several books, including my personal favorite, "The Texas Bug Book: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." Yes, contrary to popular belief, there are alot of good bugs out there. Many of which get obliterated by the chemicals being sprayed on the yard. The problem is that they are beneficial bugs, and when they're gone, you've got even more problems than you had to begin with.

Howard Garrett also has a radio show, and a column in the Dallas Morning News. His website features the answers to many gardening questions.

So, what would you rather put on your lawn for fungus? Corn Gluten Meal or a chemical that could kill any living and breathing human or animal? Molasses or Diazinon? Vinegar or Round-up? By the way, 20% vinegar will singe your nose hairs in a strong breeze. I've felt the wrath of 20% vinegar. Coupled with sunshine, and it will fry a weed far more effectively than Round-Up. It's available at most feed stores. The vinegar you buy at the grocery store is only 5% vinegar. You have to have a special license to sell 30%, it's practically illegal! 20% will do the job.

So many people have never even heard of organic gardening, and didn't know that there are other options besides the normal chemicals found at your local Home Depot or Lowe's. Even they're starting to hop on the organic gardening bandwagon. They sell Lava Sand, GreenSand, and usually orange oil and vinegar. So here's a list of staples and their purposes...


Corn Gluten Meal - should be applied in Mid September as a pre-emergent. Will help prevent winter weeds (such as the dreaded crabgrass), and prevents you from having to buy additional fertilizer (added benefit!)

Corn Meal - to help your flower beds, reduce fungal disease, algae, weed control, and compost stimulation. LOTS of benefits. No "side-effects"

Greensand - Fertilizer with iron. Use instead of Ironite.

Lava Sand - Great for flower beds and plants. Helps the break down the soil.

Diatomaceous Earth - Or DE, or "My favorite way to kill ants and fleas". To you an I, it looks exactly like flour. To unsuspecting small insects like ants, it's razor wire. Take a handful and sprinkle it on a disturbed ant bed. Watch the ants crawl through it and watch them writhe in pain. The diatoms are microscopic, but really look like shards of glass, and that's exactly what it feels like to the ants. They bite me, I torture them. And then I laugh. Heartily.
Last week we were having an issue with crickets in the house, then we sprinkled DE. No more crickets. Sanity has returned. This is great stuff! There's even 2% in Amstaff's dog food. It's great for cattle and pets b/c it kills any micro-organisms living in them. Don't buy the kind meant for swimming pools.

There are other great products, but these will get you started. Next thing you know, you'll be releasing green lacewings and ladybugs, as well as trichogamma wasps. Checkout his website sometime. You and your pets will be glad you did.

Sincerely,

The Environmental Republican/Amstaff Mom